May Theo from Rings Of Energy be the King of the Useless from Lord Of The Rings?

This text accommodates spoilers for the primary two seasons of “The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Energy”.

It's no secret that “The Rings of Energy” juggles many characters. A few of them had hidden identities which have (fortunately) been cleared up. We all know that Halbrand after which the Annatar envoy was both Sauron in disguise. Adore it or hate it, the Stranger is officially Gandalf. However although the air has cleared on some main characters, there are seemingly nonetheless a couple of surprises to come back. Certainly one of them is the true identification of the human Southlander, Theo (Tyroe Muhafidin).

Over the course of two seasons, Theo gave the impression to be nothing greater than an invented character for the present, however there are hints that he might find yourself filling the position of an necessary canonical character. One possibility is for him to change into a Ringwraith. Nonetheless, the extra I've checked out issues, the extra I feel that is too apparent an possibility – and one which doesn't match with the character's growth on the finish of season 2. I feel the most probably possibility is for Theo will change into the king of the lifeless.

Who’s the king of the lifeless? I'm glad you requested. Keep in mind the macabre inexperienced group from Peter Jackson's “The Return of the King”? Their chief is the King of the Useless.

The King of the Useless and his military are an enchanting little nook of Tolkien's world. On the one hand, they’re a terrifying drive that afflicts anybody who comes close to them. Alternatively, they play a key position in defeating Sauron's assault on Minas Tirith in “The Lord of the Rings.”

I've been considering that Theo is likely to be the King of the Useless since Season 1, and Season 2 has solely strengthened that principle. That mentioned, like many issues with this sequence, there are lots of adaptive and inventive selections that may make a direct parallel between “The Rings of Energy” and the supply materials tough. It's potential to see the place the showrunners may set Theo as much as change into the eventual King of the Useless, however now we have to attach the dots. Right here's why the speculation is smart.

The primary and best connection between Theo and the King of the Useless is that they each come from human teams positioned within the southern areas of Center-earth. Theo begins as a Southerner residing within the southeastern a part of the Center Earth map – the world that becomes Mordor at the end of season 1.

The King of the Useless hails from a neighboring area: the White Mountains, positioned within the south/southwest nook of the map. There he’s initially often called the Mountain King, a time period Aragorn makes use of when explaining the origin of this mysterious group within the ebook “The Return of the King”. The appendices to this ebook add that the Mountain Males lived within the White Mountains, the enormous horizontal vary that separates Rohan from Gondor.

Importantly, Theo began season 1 residing close to this area, however not on this area. In season 2, he lives in Pelargir, simply south of the White Mountains. As his displaced brothers from the South settle into the encircling area, Theo attracts nearer to the exact location that the King of the Useless will hang-out sooner or later.

Aragorn additionally provides the ominous phrase that the Mountain Males “had worshiped Sauron at nighttime years.” Though this refers to a time in the way forward for “Rings of Energy” historical past the place Sauron rises into continent-wide energy, it resonates with the southerners' story of Morgoth worship from the story “The Rings of Energy”.

One of many issues with Theo changing into King of the Useless is that he must go from random refugee to royalty. Season 1 didn't give us a lot on this space, however Season 2 had a bit extra promise. At one level, Arondir (Ismael Cruz Córdova) calls Theo the “Lord of Pelargir.” There isn’t a context for this sudden title. Was there a vote? Did Rounding itself give it a form of the Aristocracy? But by the top of the season, Theo is clearly able of authority within the area and he represents native Southlanders in conversations.

It's additionally value mentioning that 1000’s of years later, when Aragorn summons the lifeless within the books, he has them comply with to struggle not at Minas Tirith, however at – await it – Pelargir. Whereas circuitously tied to the speculation, developing a backstory for Theo in Pelargir may draw on the restricted data now we have in regards to the King of the Useless's future historical past.

There's additionally the truth that at San Diego Comedian-Con 2024, showrunner Patrick McKay confirmed that Theo's father could be revealed in some unspecified time in the future. This revelation may simply be the issue that offers him the precise to rule as king – however now we have to go away that apart till we all know extra clearly who his father is.

One other main aspect of the King of the Useless's story is that he interacts with Isildur whereas he’s alive. Particularly, within the ebook “The Return of the King”, Aragorn explains that Isildur brings a black stone from Númenor, including: “upon it the King of the Mountains swore allegiance to him in the beginning of the dominion of Gondor.” When Isildur leaves to struggle Sauron, the Mountain Males are afraid of their former grasp and won’t come to struggle (therefore Aragorn's future “fulfill your oath” factor). This leads Isildur to curse the group till they assist his descendants at a later date, paving the way in which for the “Lord of the Rings” drama to come back.

At this level within the “Rings of Energy” story, all of that is set sooner or later. To this point, Theo has watched his friends make and preserve their oaths, and he sees the significance of holding these guarantees – which units the stage for the potential for breaking one sooner or later. Isildur will ultimately return to Center-earth as effectively, and when he does, it’d make sense for the 2 males, who have already got a relationship with one another, to decide to a further oath to assist one another defeat Sauron.

I need to take a minute right here to refute the opposite most probably trajectory of Theo's character: his potential to become a Nazgûl. The Ringwraith chance was extra seemingly in Season 1, when Theo was a bitter boy keen to hunt methods to get revenge on his individuals's elven overlords. However from season 2, this story modifications. At present, it’s clearly transferring in a extra optimistic course. He helps individuals, leads them and cares for these round him. These are royal actions, not actions carried out by a egocentric, power-hungry particular person keen to just accept a Ring of Energy to work with Sauron.

Theo's character has skilled trauma, however at this level, he has redeemed himself and isn’t leaning towards sliding into darkness. The truth that the Mountain Males's betrayal got here from concern of Sauron somewhat than an lively alliance with him matches Theo's persona a lot better at this level within the story.

So what does it imply if Theo finally ends up changing into King of the Useless? I can inform you one factor: that is going to be a tragedy of epic proportions. If that is so, we are able to count on to see Theo proceed to develop in energy and significance within the politics of southern Center-earth over the subsequent two seasons. He’ll change into king, set up his individuals, and proceed to domesticate his relationship with Isildur and Númenor.

Nonetheless, in the direction of the top of the sequence, if the showrunners comply with the books, a breaking level is to be anticipated. Whether or not Theo chickens out personally or his individuals don't comply with him, if he’s the King of the Mountains, there’ll come a time when Isildur requires his assist solely to search out that Theo's individuals have deserted him the very second he wanted. The fallout will embrace epic curses and a depressing, grisly existence that may drag on for 1000’s of years earlier than Aragorn arrives and frees the Mountain Males from their limbo locked within the earth. After all, it's nonetheless simply hypothesis that Theo is definitely the King of the Useless. Hopefully we'll get extra readability on the Southlander's position if and when “The Rings of Energy” season 3 arrives.